A bumper provided in the front part of a vehicle is attached to a bumper member provided on a vehicle body, and this bumper member is attached to side members provided at both sides in the vehicle width direction of an engine compartment.
When the vehicle receives a load such as an impact at the vehicle front, this load is mainly received by the bumper in the front part of the vehicle. At this time, a large stress is concentrated in the central part in the vehicle width direction of the bumper, and in an attachment part between the side member and the bumper member.
Even if the impact applied to the bumper is small, the stress is concentrated especially in the central part in the vehicle width direction of the bumper member, and in an attachment part between the side member and the bumper member. At this time, at a location at which the stress is concentrated, “bending deformation” which is deformation that makes a local bend, sometimes occurs. The occurrence of “bending deformation” may cause a problem in that the strength of the vehicle front part is decreased.
To overcome this problem, various measures for reinforcing the vehicle front part have been taken. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-252134 discloses a structure in which a reinforcing member is attached to the central part in the vehicle width direction of the bumper member. Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-234409 discloses a structure in which a bumper stay for reinforcement is attached to the attachment part between the side member and the bumper member.